Team Missing Link take the lead in South Pole Race

Norwegian team Missing Link have taken the lead in the South Pole Race and are
now 3 kilometres ahead of Team QinetiQ.

As James Cracknell, Ben Fogle and Ed Coats have settled into a regime of skiing late into the night and then camping, Missing Link are doing just the opposite meaning a game of leap-frog is unfurling at the front of the pack.

For several days now the Norwegians have camped in the early evening and snuck past the British team as they bed down around 2am.

"We have been ahead of the British team all day but they are probably going to go by us because we have stopped for the night," said Rune Malterud. "We have done 45 km and are quite tired."

Ed Coats meanwhile reported that all of QinetiQ were in good health aside from their "tummies getting thinner and their feet more weary". Nearing the halfway point Coats added that they were all "looking forward to a darn good rest when we get back to Blighty."

Danske Bank have retained third place but team South Pole Flag are making up ground and have closed yesterday's 5km gap to just 2km.